Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Independent Industrial Strategy Council

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to create an independent Industrial Strategy Council.

lord henley: The Industrial Strategy Council will develop measures to assess and evaluate the government’s progress in delivering on the ambitions set out in the Industrial Strategy. We are finalising the terms of reference and membership of the Council and further details will be set out in more detail shortly.

Independent Industrial Strategy Council

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in establishing an independent Industrial Strategy Council.

lord henley: The Industrial Strategy Council will develop measures to assess and evaluate the government’s progress in delivering on the ambitions set out in the Industrial Strategy. We are finalising the terms of reference and membership of the Council and further details will be set out in more detail shortly.

Retail Trade

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the challenges faced by the retail sector.

lord henley: We want to see the sector thrive and engage regularly with retailers, retail associations and other key stakeholders to understand the sector’s concerns and challenges. BEIS is working with retail businesses and trade bodies to support the sector; in March, as part of our Industrial Strategy, we established the Retail Sector Council. This will bring Government and industry together to boost the sector’s productivity and economic health.

Newspaper Press: Wholesale Trade

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of calls by the National Federation of Retail Newsagents for a Competition and Markets Authority inquiry into the absolute territorial protection enjoyed by news wholesalers.

lord henley: Investigations into competition issues are a matter for the Competition and Markets Authority, the UK’s independent competition authority.

Minimum Wage

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compliance of employers with their requirements to pay the national minimum wage.

lord henley: In April 2017, the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) produced by the Office for National Statistics estimates there were 342,000 jobs with pay less than the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) held by employees aged 16 and over, this constitutes 1.2% of all UK employee jobs. This represents a slight decrease from 365,000 jobs (1.3%) in 2016. Further information is published on the ONS website (copy attached), including important caveats in interpreting the data. The Government is committed to increasing compliance with the minimum wage. We are clear that anyone entitled to be paid the minimum wage should receive it. We have more than doubled the enforcement budget for the NMW and NLW to £26.3 million for 2018/19, up from £13 million in 2015/16. In 2017/18, HMRC identified a record number of £15.6 million in arrears for over 200,000 workers.



ONS: UK jobs paying below min wage
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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Crimes against Humanity: Prosecutions

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent reviews they have conducted in relation to the existing legislation on genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and their effective use by UK courts.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK believes it is vitally important to achieve justice for victims of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. It is essential that perpetrators of the most serious crimes do not enjoy impunity. The UK is a party to the International Criminal Court and the Geneva Conventions. Our international obligations are enacted in UK domestic legislation. There have been no recent reviews conducted in relation to the existing legislation.

Iraq: Islamic State

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the capacity of Iraqi courts to prosecute Daesh fighters in accordance with international law, and of the use of the death penalty in Iraq.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government of Iraq prosecutes Daesh fighters under Iraqi law. The death penalty continues to be applied for certain offences in Iraq, including terrorism. We regularly make our opposition to the death penalty clear. The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa reiterated our position with the Iraqi Justice Minister during his visit to Iraq on 26 April 2018 and stressed the importance of transparent judicial processes and adherence to international standards.The Iraqi Prime Minister Al - Abadi has been clear that international human rights law must be respected. We will continue to hold him to this commitment.

Iran: Nuclear Weapons

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the United Statesaboutmaintenance of the nuclear weapons agreement with Iran.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government regrets the decision of the US Administration to withdraw from the JCPoA and re-impose American sanctions on Iran. We did our utmost to prevent this outcome; from the moment that President Trump's Administration took office, we made the case for keeping the JCPoA at every level. The UK worked very closely with France, Germany and US counterparts to find a way forward to address President Trump's concerns, involving months of intense discussions to secure US commitment to the deal, but without reopening the terms of the agreement. Earlier this month, the Foreign Secretary travelled to Washington and repeated the UK's support for the nuclear agreement in meetings with Secretary Pompeo, Vice-President Pence and National Security Adviser Bolton. The Prime Minister spoke with President Trump by telephone several times, including on Saturday 5 May.We now urge the US to preserve the gains that the Iran nuclear deal has brought, avoiding actions that would prevent the remaining parties from meeting their commitments to upholding the agreement. We await more detail from the US following President Trump's promise to find a lasting solution to the Iran nuclear threat.

Yemen: Peace Negotiations

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, including in diplomacy and the provision of development aid, to help stop the conflict in Yemen and to encourage all parties to take part in UN peace negotiations.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is playing a leading role in diplomatic efforts, including by bringing together key international actors, to find a peaceful solution. The Foreign Secretary most recently discussed the urgent need for a political solution with the Saudi Foreign Minister,the Deputy Emirati Foreign Minister, and the US Assistant Secretary of State on 26 April. The UK strongly supports, including through financial assistance, the work of Martin Griffiths as the UN Special Envoy for Yemen. We are using our role as penholder at the UN Security Council to focus international attention on the need for progress. We secured the agreement of a Presidential Statement on 15 March which called for an inclusive political solution, and for all parties to the conflict to abandon pre-conditions and engage in good faith with the UN-led process. The UK has committed £170 million towards the humanitarian crisis for 2018-19, making us the fourth largest donor to the UN appeal.

Yemen: Peace Negotiations

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to advocatefor a Security Council resolution to try to resolve the conflict in Yemen.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government keeps under consideration whether a new UN resolution would support progress towards a political settlement in Yemen. Given the lack of agreement between the parties to the conflict at present, we judge that the best opportunity for progress comes through the efforts of Martin Griffiths as the new UN Special Envoy for Yemen. We encourage the parties to return to negotiations and participate constructively in the UN-led political process.

Burma: Rohingya

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of the United States about that government's ongoing investigation into the Rohingya crisis.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK and US Governments have remained in close contact since the start of the current Rohingya crisis. In recent weeks officials have discussed respective approaches to supporting collection of evidence for use in an investigation of those responsible for human rights violations in Rakhine State, both bilaterally and within the forum of the International Atrocity Prevention Working Group. The Foreign Secretary and Acting US Secretary of State called for a clear pathway to accountability with their counterparts at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting of 22-23 April.

UN Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the UK (1) signed, and (2) ratified, the UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK signed the UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination on 11 October 1966 and ratified it on 7 March 1969.

Israeli Settlements

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK diplomatic staff will (1) attend, and (2) monitor, the casedue to be held before the IsraeliSupreme Court on 3 June that will hear petitions against Israel's Settlements Regularisation Law; and if so, who.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the case coming before the Israeli Supreme Court on 3 June, and our Embassy in Tel Aviv is monitoring developments closely. We remain in close contact with those involved in the petition and have made our concerns clear to the Israeli authorities.

Israeli Settlements

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel, and what public statements they have made to international fora, concerning the legality of both settlements and outposts in international law, and Israel's obligations regarding settlement activity as set out in UN Security Resolution 2334.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK’s position on settlements and settlement outposts is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. That is why we supported UN Security Council Resolution 2334. We regularly raise our grave concerns on this issue with the Government of Israel, and reiterate our strong opposition to settlement activity in international fora. At the UN Security Council in February we called on Israel to immediately reverse its policy of settlement expansion.

Cameroon: Politics and Government

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 1 May (HL6988), in which they state that their policy towards preventing mass atrocities and promoting prevention and peace building activity “begins with actively looking out for countries with signs of instability, to reduce the risks of violence, promote good governance, support the rule of law, building inclusive societies, and enabling effective judicial and security sector reform” what progress they are making to assist reducingtensions in Cameroon.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government remains concerned by the situation in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. We are keen to see the violence stop, political prisoners released, and creation of a meaningful process of national dialogue to address the core issues.During the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the Foreign Secretary met Prime Minister Yang, and the Minister for Africa met Commonwealth Minister Mbayu. Both pressed for action to resolve the dispute, making clear that the UK stands ready to help. The Minister for Africa pressed these points again when she met the Secretary General of the Presidency on Thursday 3 May. President Biya has committed to dialogue. The British Government believes a meaningful, inclusive process must start swiftly.We will continue to engage with the Government of Cameroon and underline that all parties have a responsibility to work for peace and stability and to use legal and peaceful means to voice grievances.

Bahrain: Technical Assistance

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 2 May (HL7127), why they will not individually list their implementationpartners who are supporting Bahraini-led reform or those companies, bodies or individuals that were given contracts todeliver any part of the technical assistance programme for Bahrain in the 2017–18 financial year.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not in a position to make precise details available as we have a duty to maintain the confidentiality and confidence of our partners.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to provide numerous updates on its programme work in Bahrain including in its annual Human Rights reports. This information can be found on the gov.uk website.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how theyplan to respond to the decision in the Punjab to impose compulsory Quranic teachings in all schools and colleges in the province; and what assessment they have made of how this will impact on the Punjab’s minorities and their freedom of religion or belief.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to work with the federal and provincial governments to improve the quality of education in Pakistan. The Department for International Development's education programmes in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces support the implementation of Pakistan's reformed curriculum from 2006 that teaches religious tolerance and respect for diversity.We regularly raise our concerns about the treatment of minority communities with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. I discussed the issue of freedom of religion and belief, and the protection of religious minorities with Pakistan's Interior Minister in February 2018. At the UN Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan in November 2017, the UK pressed Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities, including by establishing an independent National Commission for Minorities from all faith communities.

Nigeria: Violence

baroness berridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of collusion between Boko Haram and armed Fulani Herders in Nigeria.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Boko Haram is known to cooperate with criminal gangs and use illicit networks to facilitate the movement of weapons and people. However, there is no evidence to show collusion between insurgent groups and Fulani Herders.

Leah Sharibu

baroness berridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the government of Nigeria to return Leah Sharibu safely from Boko Haram.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary spoke to Vice President Osinbajo on 26 February and extended an offer of additional UK assistance following the abductions from Dapchi. We continue to call for the release of the remaining Chibok girls, and all those abducted by Boko Haram. Attacks on schools and abductions of children are abhorrent and must stop. It is important that all abductees released or recovered receive appropriate support, including for their families. The UK remains resolute in its support for Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram.The UK provides a substantial and growing package of intelligence, military and development support to help Nigeria fight terrorism. This includes training and advice for Nigerian armed forces deploying against Boko Haram and £5 million to support the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), a regional taskforce against Boko Haram.

Sudan: Foreign Relations

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the most recent round of discussions in the UK–Sudan Strategic Dialogue.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Strategic Dialogue provides an important platform to raise issues of bilateral interest between the UK and Sudan. At the Fifth Round, held in Khartoum on 24 April, we discussed a range of issues with senior Sudanese Government representatives, including the peace process, human rights, development, migration, trade and investment, and counter-terrorism.  Both the British Government and the Government of Sudan welcomed the continued progress made since the last round of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue in October, and agreed to continue work jointly on issues of mutual interest.  The Communique of the Fifth Round of the Strategic Dialogue is available on the British Government’s website. ​

Sudan: Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of freedom of religion or belief in Sudan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Sudan remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and we are deeply concerned about infringements and restrictions on freedom of religion or belief. We are considering ways that FCO programme funding could help to promote freedom of religion or belief in Sudan. We raised our concerns with the Government during the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue on 24 April, and will continue to do so as part of our ongoing bilateral engagement.

Attorney General

National Fund

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in enabling the National Fund charity to make appropriate donations; and whether they intend to apply to the courts for a scheme allowing the Fund to be used for its original purpose.

lord keen of elie: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 22 January 2018.The correct answer should have been:

The National Fund was created in 1928 with an initial anonymous donation of £500,000 with the aim of eventually extinguishing the national debt. It has accumulated significant funds through further donations and income over the years, as set out in the attached chart below. It is currently estimated to be worth over £460 million.The terms of the deed of Trust for the National Fund are such that the Trustees are required to accumulate the net income and profits of the trust fund until the value of the fund along with its accumulated income, when added to the value of any other funds applicable for the same purpose, is sufficient to discharge the entirety of the National Debt. Given the terms of the trust, the money is currently ‘locked’ in the fund.The Attorney General’s Office is working with the Charity Commission and the Fund’s trustees to help resolve this legally complicated matter.  



Chart
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lord keen of elie: The National Fund was created in 1928 with an initial anonymous donation of £500,000 with the aim of eventually extinguishing the national debt. It has accumulated significant funds through further donations and income over the years, as set out in the attached chart below. It is currently estimated to be worth over £460 million.The terms of the deed of Trust for the National Fund are such that the Trustees are required to accumulate the net income and profits of the trust fund until the value of the fund along with its accumulated income, when added to the value of any other funds applicable for the same purpose, is sufficient to discharge the entirety of the National Debt. Given the terms of the trust, the money is currently ‘locked’ in the fund.The Attorney General’s Office is working with the Charity Commission and the Fund’s trustees to help resolve this legally complicated matter.  



Chart
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Department of Health and Social Care

Department of Health and Social Care: Internet

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cloud services contracts that were previously delivered by British cloud services providers for the Department ofHealth and Social Care are now delivered by multinational cloud service providers; what is the value of those contracts; and what are the names of the previous providers.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Department's central procurement system does not have a separate category for cloud-hosting contracts nor any central means of consistently identifying cloud-hosting services. To obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost.

Contraceptives

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make high quality specialist contraceptive services available to women with medical complexities to help them avoid or plan pregnancy.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has mandated local authorities to commission comprehensive open access sexual health services, which includes the provision of contraception for women with complex medical conditions. To support clinicians with decisions on which contraceptives they can safely prescribe based on the medical conditions of patients in their care, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare has published UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use UK MEC 2016. A copy of this guidance is attached.



UK_Medical_Eligibility_Criteria
(PDF Document, 2.24 MB)

Family Planning

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many GP practices have a doctor or nurse trained in family planning methodsor techniques provided by the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Department does not hold information in the format requested on the number of general practitioner practices that have a doctor or nurse trained in family planning methods or techniques as provided by the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.

General Practitioners

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that GP capacity is maintained to meet current and expected levels of demand.

lord o'shaughnessy: The General Practice Forward View, published in April 2016, commits increasing investment in general practice by £2.4 billion a year by 2020/21 from £9.6 billion in 2015/16 to over £12 billion by 2020/21 – a 14% real-terms increase. It will improve patient care and access, and invest in new ways of providing primary care. As part of this package NHS England is investing £500 million in a national sustainability and transformation package to support general practitioner (GP) practices, which includes additional funds from local clinical commissioning groups. It includes help for struggling practices, plans to reduce workload, expansion of a wider workforce, investment in technology and estates and a national development programme to speed up transformation of services. A copy of the General Practice Forward View is attached.By 2020 there will be an extra 1,500 students doctors entering training each year. The new places are being allocated to schools which have demonstrated a commitment to sending more trainees to rural or coastal areas and increasing the number of GPs and mental health specialists.Health Education England has made 3,250 places in GP speciality training available per year since 2016. In 2017, there were 3,157 doctors recruited to speciality GP training posts. To bridge the gap whilst doctors are in training, in August 2017, NHS England announced plans to accelerate its international recruitment to 2,000 GPs in the next three years. We also have a broad offer to support GPs to remain in the National Health Service: GP Career Plus, The GP Retention Scheme, and The National GP Induction and Refresher Scheme to help GPs back into the NHS. 



General Practice Forward View
(PDF Document, 1.77 MB)

European Food Safety Authority

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to seek to become an associate member of the European Food Safety Authority after Brexit.

lord o'shaughnessy: As the Prime Minister said in her speech at Mansion House, we are exploring the terms on which we could remain part of European Union agencies for sectors where close collaboration is critical.A range of options are being considered for the future of risk assessment and scientific advice in the United Kingdom. After the UK has left the EU, our priority will be to maintain the UK’s high standards of food and feed safety.The UK has a long tradition of close scientific collaboration with the European Food Safety Authority which we greatly value and hope to continue in the future.

NHS: Vacancies

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to reduce vacancy levels amongst medical professionals and ancillary staff in the NHS.

lord o'shaughnessy: As set out in NHS Improvement’s most recent quarterly Performance of the NHS provider sector report, management information shows that over the course of the last year medical vacancy rates have reduced, from 10,848 whole time equivalent (WTE) in the first quarter of 2017/18 to 9,676 WTE in the third quarter of 2017/18.A copy of Performance of the NHS provider sector for the month ended 31 December 2017 is attached.NHS Improvement supports providers to reduce these rates. This includes programmes to reduce reliance on medicals locums and the development of new roles to support advanced clinical practice.Information on the vacancy rates of ancillary staff is not available centrally.



Performance_of_the_NHS_provider_sector
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Department for Education

School Day

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the long-term implications for children's education of increasing numbers of schools switching to a four and a half day week.

lord agnew of oulton: All schools have the autonomy to decide the structure and duration of their school day, which includes the flexibility to decide when their school day should start and finish. We trust head teachers to decide how best to structure their school day to support their pupils’ education. The department does not collect data on the number of schools who have chosen to make changes to their school days and has not made an assessment of these decisions taken by individual schools. The Education (School Day and School Year) (England) Regulations 1999 require all maintained schools to be open to educate their pupils for at least 380 sessions (190 days) in each school year. There are no specific legal requirements setting out over how many days in each week these sessions should be delivered, or how long each individual school day should be. Governing bodies of all maintained schools in England are responsible for deciding when sessions should begin and end on each school day. They are also responsible for deciding the length of each lesson and the timings for the morning session, the midday break, and the afternoon session. Academy and free school funding agreements state that the duration of the school day is the responsibility of the academy trust.In the event that a school decides to make changes to its school day, it is our expectation that the school should act reasonably; giving parents notice and considering those affected, including pupils, teachers, and parents. Schools and trusts should ensure they achieve efficiency through non-teaching spend, effective curriculum planning, and learning from best practice being delivered by good or outstanding schools of comparable sizes, phase and geography.

ICT: Primary Education

lord baker of dorking: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many primary schools have introduced the teaching of coding in (1)the 2016–17 academic year, and (2) the current academic year.

lord agnew of oulton: The new national curriculum for computing, which now includes coding from key stage 1 to key stage 4, was introduced in September 2014. The national curriculum is compulsory in all state-maintained schools, and academies and free schools can use it as a benchmark. The department does not collect information about the individual topics primary schools teach, and therefore does not hold data on how many primary schools have introduced coding. The department is committed to strengthening the teaching of computing in schools. £84 million of new funding is being introduced over the next four years to deliver a comprehensive programme of continuing professional development and other support to teachers, including primary school teachers, to improve the teaching of computing.

Home Education

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they planto use police to visit the homes of home-schooled children who have not been in contact with public services fora set amount of time.

lord agnew of oulton: There are no such plans. If there are concerns about the safety or well-being of a child who is being educated at home, local authorities already have a range of powers available under the Children Act 1989 (The Act), which allow them to seek a court order to access a family home. The Act includes provision for the police to remove a child to suitable accommodation where there is reasonable cause to believe that a child would otherwise be likely to suffer significant harm. The police can also provide assistance to local authority staff in an emergency. These powers apply for any child, whether educated at home or at school, but only where a child is in need of emergency protection. The government published on 10 April a call for evidence about elective home education, and also began a consultation on revised guidance for local authorities and parents. This closes on 2 July.

Apprentices: Engineering

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reported concerns of engineering companies (1) that thelimit of £27,000 a year on individual apprenticeship funding is not enough, and (2) that there is a lack of approved apprenticeship training providers.

lord agnew of oulton: £27,000 represents the maximum amount that the government will contribute towards an apprenticeship, either as part of co-investment or through spending from employer accounts. This upper limit has been set to support the affordable delivery of three million high quality apprenticeships by 2020. The Institute for Apprenticeships makes recommendations on the funding levels for new and existing standards within the band structure. We have no plans to introduce a higher funding band or increase the £27,000 upper limit. There are currently over 2,600 providers on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers, including over 1,900 main providers. This provides employers with choice, ensuring they get the skills they need to grow their business. We are currently reviewing the Register, reflecting on the first year of its operation, and intend to re-open it for applications in the autumn. We want to ensure that the Register continues to provide assurance to employers that the training providers they choose have the capacity and capability to deliver good quality apprenticeship training, supporting an increase in the quality of training for apprentices.

Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Race Disparity Audit's finding thatpupils from Gypsy, Roma, or Irish Traveller backgroundshave the lowest educational attainment out ofall ethnic groups in the UK, whether they intend tore-introduce funding forGypsy Roma Traveller History Month.

lord agnew of oulton: The department welcomes the work of third sector groups in developing and promoting Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month and we are supportive of schools’ involvement. Schools have an important role to play in celebrating the history and culture of all their pupils and are best placed to decide whether to participate in specific events. The government is committed to ensuring that all pupils, regardless of background, can reach their full potential. Through the pupil premium we continue to provide additional annual funding of nearly £2.5 billion. This will help schools improve the progress and attainment of their disadvantaged pupils. High proportions of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils are eligible for and will benefit from this support. The department continues to work with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on their 2018/19 pilot programme to improve the social integration of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. In March 2018, we launched a review of exclusions which will explore why certain pupil groups, including Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils, are over-represented in exclusions statistics. In addition, as part of the Careers Strategy, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller youth will be a target group for a pilot testing ways of providing careers guidance to vulnerable groups.

Children: Day Care

the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the costs and benefits of extending the 30 hours free childcare for three and four year olds to families where parents are in training to prepare for work.

lord agnew of oulton: The government has commissioned an independent evaluation of the first year of delivery, which will be published in summer 2018. As with the evaluations of early implementation and early rollout, we will use the evidence from this report to inform future delivery.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Travellers

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of Gypsy and Traveller prisoners undertake vocational training courses while in prison.

lord keen of elie: Data on the proportion of Gypsy and Traveller prisoners that undertake vocational training courses whilst in English prisons is not held by the Ministry of Justice.There is a wide range of vocational training available to prisoners. The prison governor is responsible for commissioning education and training based on the needs of learners in the prison establishment and the skills in demand by employers in the areas to which prisoners will be released.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Housing

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage ofaccommodation for servicemen and women in the UK does not include en-suite facilities.

earl howe: At present, there are approximately 135,000 bedspaces for servicemen and women, recorded on the Defence Infrastructure Organisation's Infrastructure Management System. From the data we have collated, approximately 85,000 bedspaces (63%) do not have en-suite facilities.The Department is currently refining how we collect the data to enable us to portray a more precise figure.

Type 26 Frigates

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the long lead items for the next five planned T26 frigates will be ordered; and when the order for the build of the ships will be announced.

earl howe: We awarded the contract to build the first three Type 26 Frigates in June 2017 and expect to negotiate the contract and secure the necessary approvals for the remaining five in the early 2020s. We will place orders for the long-lead items for the remaining five ships at the appropriate time.

Aircraft Carriers

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will clarify the statement made by the National Security Advisor regarding the intentions for circumstances in which the Royal Navy aircraft carriers would be deployed in war.

earl howe: Our new aircraft carriers are a sovereign capability - we have the escort ships to deploy our Carrier Group independently.As we said in the National Security Capability Review, the Joint Force that we are building will be international by design, routinely exercising with allies and partners.

Armed Forces: Railways

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what inputtheygave to the statement by the European Commission that €6.5 billion will be allocated from the Connecting Europe Facility for military mobility by rail; whether they support the need for improved rail links across Europe for the purpose of defence and the preservation of peace; and what plansthey have for co-operation on such matters after the UK leaves the EU.

earl howe: The proposal to allocate €6.5 billion to military mobility by rail is part of the European Commission's overall proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework that was published on 2 May 2018. Member States will have the opportunity to discuss and amend the Commission's proposal as it proceeds through the formal decision-making processes over the coming months. The UK is pleased to see work developing in conjunction with NATO on this important initiative, and any decisions on which programmes the UK will participate in after 2020 will be taken as part of the future partnership negotiations.

Ministry of Defence: Internet

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cloud services contracts that were previously delivered by British cloud services providers for the Ministry of Defence are now delivered by multinational cloud service providers; what is the value of those contracts; and what are the names of the previous providers.

earl howe: There are no Ministry of Defence contracts that were previously delivered by British cloud service providers that are now delivered by multinational cloud service providers.

Syria: Military Intervention

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK is using thermobaric vacuum weapons in Syria.

earl howe: The UK has used enhanced blast munitions in Syria. The type of munition used by UK Armed Forces depends on the target to be struck. In line with International Humanitarian Law, our rigorous targeting process will always seek to minimise the effect of our military action on civilians and civilian objects.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they havemade of the likely impact of the compliant environment immigration policy on the roll-out of Universal Credit.

baroness buscombe: The Department has regular discussions with the Home Office in the context of ensuring that the benefit system is fair to British citizens, those who settle here and those who migrate to the UK. It has been the case since 1994 that anyone claiming a DWP income-related benefit must demonstrate that they are habitually resident, that is, they have close ties to the UK and an intention to settle here. The test was extended in 2004 to include a legal right to reside element.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Recycling: EU Law

baroness featherstone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the UK will transpose the European Commission Circular Economy Package into UK law within the timeframe to which they have committed.

lord gardiner of kimble: We expect the final Circular Economy Package to be adopted shortly. The Government has confirmed that the UK will vote in favour of the final package. The Government is currently developing its approach to transposition and will set this out in the Resource and Waste Strategy later this year.

Trade Agreements

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions have taken place between ministers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and ministers in the Department for International Trade to agree the underlying principles which would guarantee existing animal welfare and environmental standards in future trade deals.

lord gardiner of kimble: Ministers and officials meet their counterparts in the Department for International Trade on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues in trade policy. Leaving the EU is a golden opportunity to secure bold and ambitious trade agreements, and these should not and will not lower environmental or animal welfare standards.

Nature Conservation

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are considering a change to the protection afforded to Local Wildlife Sites; if so, why; and what assessment they have made of the effect of reduced protection for such sites.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is committed to protecting Local Wildlife Sites and is not considering a change in the protection afforded to them. In our 25 Year Environment Plan we have committed to improving and extending our network of wildlife rich habitats, and Local Wildlife Sites are an important part of our existing habitat resource. We want to make sure that Local Wildlife Sites continue to be appropriately protected. The Housing Minister recently met the Wildlife Trusts and wrote to all MPs and Peers to make clear his commitment to ensuring clarity concerning these protections in the National Planning Policy Framework.

Forestry

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the process for appointing the National Tree Champion; whether applications are being invited; if so, how; to whom the Champion will be responsible; and what the term of officewill be.

lord gardiner of kimble: Decisions on the appointment of the National Tree Champion including responsibilities, reporting mechanisms and the term of office will be made in due course.

Water Treatment: Phosphates

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Gardiner of Kimble on 8 May (HL7364), whether water companies are required to operate phosphate removal plants.

lord gardiner of kimble: There is no automatic requirement for water companies to provide and operate specific phosphorus removal treatment at sewage treatment works. The requirement for such treatment depends on the environmental legislation and standards that apply to the receiving water into which a sewage treatment work discharges. Where a receiving water is a designated sensitive area (eutrophic) under the urban waste water treatment regulations, sewage treatment works of a particular size will require the provision of phosphorus removal treatment to meet standards set out in the regulations. Alternatively, where environmental standards in the receiving water are not achieved to meet the Water Framework Directive regulations and conservation requirements, phosphorus removal treatment may be required at a sewage treatment work. The requirements for treatment and the limits to be achieved are set out in the environmental permit to discharge for each sewage treatment work which is issued and regulated by the Environment Agency in England.

Mosquitoes: Pest Control

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to prevent the spread of invasive non-native mosquito species, including the Asian Tiger mosquito.

lord gardiner of kimble: The government recognises the threats posed by invasive non-native species. As part of our comprehensive Great Britain Non-native Species Strategy, we carry out horizon-scanning for new invasive non-native species likely to pose a significant risk if they arrive in the UK. We implement stringent biosecurity measures to prevent their arrival and take action to respond to sightings and rapidly eradicate new invaders where feasible. There are several invasive non-native mosquito species that are spreading in Europe. The Asian tiger mosquito and closely related yellow fever mosquito are two of the key species that, as well as causing significant nuisance to the public, are vectors for serious diseases, such as Chikungunya, Dengue and Zika. Public Health England has run a surveillance system for invasive mosquitoes since 2010. This includes surveillance at more than 30 United Kingdom sea and airports, at the largest used tyre importers, and at motorway service stations in south east England on the main routes from the south coast ferry ports and Eurotunnel. The surveillance combines a number of traps that detect mosquito eggs, host-seeking and blood-fed mosquitoes and larval sampling. Any findings are followed up with local authorities and appropriate control measures instituted.

Department for Exiting the European Union

British Overseas Territories: Brexit

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with each of the UK Overseas Territories about the specific implications of Brexit for individual Overseas Territories.

lord callanan: The British Government is fully committed to involving all the UK Overseas Territories in our planning as we leave the EU, and ensuring that their interests are properly taken into account. UK Ministers and leaders of the Overseas Territories discuss EU Exit in the UK Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council on EU Exit Negotiations, which will meet for the fourth time on 14 June this year. The British Government has also considered and responded to the evidence presented by Overseas Territories' representatives to the European Union Select Committee on the impact of EU Exit in July of last year.

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Internet

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cloud services contracts that were previously delivered by British cloud services providers for the Department for International Trade are now delivered by multinational cloud service providers; what is the value of those contracts; and what are the names of the previous providers.

baroness fairhead: There are no Department for International Trade (DIT) cloud services contracts previously delivered by a British provider, that are now delivered via a contract with a multinational cloud service provider.

Trade Agreements

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken by ministers in the Department for International Trade to explain to future trading partners the animal welfare and environmental standards which will apply to any future trade deals.

baroness fairhead: Conversations with our trading partners about our future trading arrangements are at an early stage, and it is too soon to say what will be covered in future deals. However, we are very clear that future agreements must uphold our high animal welfare and environmental standards.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Sports: Clubs

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the Assets of Community Value Regulations 2012 inprotectinglocal sports clubs.

lord ashton of hyde: The Government sport strategy, Sporting Future makes clear that local sports clubs are essential to the provision of sport and recreational activities in England. Local authorities publish updated information on the provisions of Assets of Community Value (ACVs) designed to protect sports clubs among other assets. Out of a total of 2,767 ACVs that were listed, 155 (or 6%) were sports ACVs. Football was the most listed ACV sport with just over 25% linked to football clubs. Guidance on how to make best use of the Assets of Community Value regulations for community sports clubs and on how to register is available on Sport England's website.

Service Industries: Skilled Workers

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of skills needed in the tourism and hospitality sector to meet the needs of those industries; and what assessment they have made of skills shortages in that area.

lord ashton of hyde: We have been working with the hospitality and tourism sectors across the country to assess skills challenges and opportunities. The sector, together with Government, have proposed a skills plan as part of the proposed Tourism Sector Deal - this has a strong focus on developing domestic skills to meet employer demand, as well as improving the attractiveness of the sector as a career path. We are working closely with industry in this process. Alongside this, Government is working hard to meet business needs by investing in the reform of employer-led training such as hospitality apprenticeships.

Service Industries

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are planning to increase the level of support for the tourism and hospitality industries.

lord ashton of hyde: The Tourism Action Plan sets out Government’s commitment to the tourism and hospitality industries. The £40m Discover England Fund (DEF) is designed to develop innovative and collaborative tourism products to offer to both the domestic and international traveller. There has been tremendous uptake on this project, with very high quality bids being received and, consequently, there are now excellent products being developed throughout England. There are several DEF projects around the Manchester area; one of these is Growing Manchester as an International Gateway, which encourages visitors to fly in to Manchester and provide leisure excursions and city sightseeing to develop Manchester as an international gateway for the North of England. Another example is the Brilliant Science project which is designed to extend the stays of science conference delegates by offering a range of regional science tours covering themes such as engineering and life sciences.  The DEF programme is managed by VisitEngland who provide product development expertise with one to one advice and will evaluate the effectiveness of the projects once they have officially gone ‘live’.